After consulting crooked attorney Lionel Hutz, Homer and Marge attempt to sue Mr. Burns for a million dollars after Burns hits Bart with his car. Burns is prepared to settle for $500,000, but promptly withdraws the offer when he discovers that the Simpsons have exaggerated Bart's injuries.

Two of Bart's relatives are seen in this episode as Bart ascends to heaven.Hortense Simpson & Orville J. Simpson, or as Bart calls him, Great-Grandpa Simpson.
It is unknown who the boy Orville was choking is.

Episode Quotes

Homer's Brain: A million dollars. My wife cost me a million dollars.Marge: Homer would you like some more macaroni and cheese?Homer's Brain: Yeah, a million dollars worth, you treacherous snake woman.Homer: No, thank you.Marge: Some string beans?Homer's Brain: No, I don't want any string beans either, you two-timing, backstabbing--Uh-oh. Better answer.Homer: No, thank you.Marge: Some celery with cream cheese on it?Homer's Brain: Just mouth polite nothings.Homer: No, thank you.

Dr. Nick: Bad news. Your son is a very sick boy. Just look at the X-rays. See that dark spot there? Whiplash.Homer: Whiplash? Oh no!Dr. Nick: And this smudge here that looks like my fingerprint? No, that's trauma.Bart: Am I going to die?Homer:(Sobbing) Yes! You're going to die!Marge: Homer!

Bart: I did go away, mom, I was miles and miles and miles away. Dying in agony in the pits of hell. And you were there! And you, and you, and you... and you I've never seen before!Homer:(to Lionel Hutz) Yeah who are you anyway? I saw you chasing Bart's ambulance.

Judge: Mr. Burns, I must warn you that if you continue to disrupt the court in this way, I will have to cite you for contempt.Mr. Burns: You wouldn't dare!Judge: Well, no, um, I guess I wouldn't.

Episode Goofs

At Moe's Tavern, when Marge confronts Homer the stained glass in the background alternates colors. First it has red halves on the top & bottom w/ a red row in between but switches to green halves top & bottom with a full green row between.

Later, it changes again and the window gets another row of glass panels.
Although this could be explained as being the larger windows that are seen on the exterior of Moe's on either side of the door, but at the angle of the shot, from behind the bar, those windows are impossible to see.

After Marge testifies, Mr. Burns' lawyer says "Thank you very much Mrs. Simpson", and when he does the top of his head above his glasses is a more yellowish than the rest of his face.

During Marge's testimony, Lionel Hutz has a neat stack of papers in front of him. But in the close-up when Homer and Hutz both cover their eyes, Hutz has several pieces of crumbled paper and a broken pencil in front of him.

During Marge's testimony, Bart is momentarily not beside the table but appears moments later.

Cultural References

Tale Of Two Cities

Mr. Burns: Just give him a nickel and let's get going.

This is a reference to the novel A Tale Of Two Cities. In the book, the Marquis St. Evermonde runs over a boy in the street and just tosses the father a coin.

Rolling Stones

When the Devil says, "Please allow me to introduce myself," it is a parody of the opening line in the famous Stones' song "Sympathy For The Devil".

Bart awakening from his injuries saying "you were there, & you were there, and you were there" is an allusion to the 1939 classic film, The Wizard of Oz.
It's the same thing Dorothy said when she awoke from her dream of Oz.

The scene of Bart in hell is a direct reference to the famous painting Hieronymus Bosch's, The Garden of Earthly Delights specifically the Hell panel.

Episode References

Dr. Hibbert touches Bart's injuries to which Bart responds with "Ow... quit it".
This is the same said he did when Lisa, Maggie & Homer poked his arm after his tattoo was removed in the very first episode, Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire.

Mentioned in the first episode, Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire, Snowball I, the Simpsons' first cat is seen in this episode as Bart journeys to heaven.